Labor Day Recipe Roundup

Time for the great Labor Day Cookout. It has been a great summer for most of us, so let's give it a great send-off with some of the best grilling recipes. Fire up the grill, and let's get started.

Although it is "labor" day, none of us want to work for our fun. I present for your consideration a few great simple ways to cap off the "traditional" summer season.

If you get to the end of this post, you will be rewarded with an enjoyable Labor Day story—do you have a Labor Day story?

The Classic BIG THREE of Grilling

The classic big three of grilling, all with easy-to-follow photo tutorials.

Easier Grill Recipes

OK, maybe you want less work but still world-class results. Here are the easier grill options.

Grilling Side Dishes

There is nothing like grilled vegetables or fruits. That extra grill flavor is just outstanding.

Oven Recipes

Not everybody wants to grill, so let's switch focus to the oven.

Pie, Pie, Pie, and Kinda Pie

Your holiday meal desires a great ending that everybody will be talking about.

FOOD SAFETY

Finally, a few food safety reminders—so easy to forget but so important to remember.

It is up to you to keep your friends and family safe. I see dangerous food handling on TV food shows and other blogs frequently. So know the rules. PLEASE.

As a start, please review my Summer Food Safety post. Let’s be safe out there. No, Uncle Joe cannot have his burger rare, even though you wouldn’t mind seeing him sick. It is your responsibility to keep them all safe.

My Bad—A Labor Day Story

When I first started my private practice 40+ years ago, I started in mid-August, and the other pediatrician went on vacation (his first is over a year) a week later.

I was left to see patients and make all business decisions. It was the Friday before Labor Day, and I was saying good night to the employees and told them I would see them on Monday. A huge scream went up.

Them: "No, Tuesday"

Me: "Monday"

Them: (very loudly) "Tuesday, Monday is Labor Day."

Me: "So"

Them: "It's a holiday."

Me: "No"

Them: "YES"

Me: "A real holiday????  I thought it was like Ground Hog Day or Columbus Day."

Them: "See you TUESDAY," they all shook their heads as they walked out snickering.

Me: "hmmm, ok."

In my defense, I have just come out of years of medical training, working 80 to 100 hours per week. There were two holidays only, the Fourth of July and Christmas, and you got one of them off. All the rest of the days were equal, meaning they were nothing special, and you worked.

My bad, I guess.

I put that in to see if anybody got this far. And it is totally true. Even the wording is correct. Who else has a Labor Day story?

So relax and enjoy yourself. Grill a hot dog and have some ice cream. Enjoy your family and reflect on the last few years. Be kind to all and be filled with grace.

Wifo, Molly, Lilly, and DrDan

Originally Published August 31, 2014. This post is reused yearly but is edited and updated annually. Some comments may be from previous years.